The tug-of-war over the AHV reform has entered the next round. After the Council of States and the Federal Council, the responsible committee of the National Council (SGK-N) has now also spoken out in favor of increasing the retirement age for women from 64 to 65. According to the “Tages-Anzeiger” only the SP and the Greens unanimously voted against the increase.
According to the “Tages-Anzeiger”, the higher women’s retirement age is probably set by Parliament, as is the limit for early withdrawals: Here it amounts to 63 years. Today women can draw a reduced AHV pension from 62.
Gossip about compensation
In the summer session in June, the crux of the matter remains how the affected women are financially cushioned. A transitional generation of women should receive financial compensation. According to the will of the Council of States, there are 9 cohorts with a maximum contribution of 150 francs per month.
The SGK-N now wants to make this supplement dependent on previous income. With a relevant average income of 57,360 francs, that would be 150 francs per month. Women with incomes of up to 71,700 francs should receive 100 francs – with higher incomes, 50 francs remain.
However, only six transition years would benefit from these higher surcharges. Overall, however, the total of the compensation payments is 4 billion francs and thus almost twice as much as in the Council of States proposal. This variant is more generous, fairer and better tailored to women with low incomes, argues the majority of the National Council Commission.
SGB on barricade
Trade unions and the left are still against it: The Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) calls the compensation payments a “mockery”. Because the increase in the retirement age amounts to a pension reduction for more than half of the women affected. Above all, women are worse off in the second pillar – the pension fund. The SGB is already sharpening the blades for the voting campaign: the AHV reform must take real pension problems into account – and it is becoming apparent that “Parliament must be reminded at the ballot box”.
The SP and the Greens, in turn, demand higher pension supplements for a longer transition generation; the total costs, according to the “Tages-Anzeiger”, are between 6.7 billion francs in the SP proposal and 14 billion francs for that of the Greens.
There is also a row with the financing. The Council of States also decided on 0.3 percentage points of VAT, the Federal Council advocates an increase of 0.7 percentage points – and the Commission is now in favor of 0.4 percentage points or additional income of 1.3 billion.
The next AHV debate is sure to come
Long discussions are inevitable in the June session, and thirty minority motions have already been submitted. At the AHV, there has been a funding gap for some time due to demographic change. Earlier reforms had failed at the ballot box – among other things because of opposition to raising the retirement age for women. (gbl)